Former Leicester City and Watford manager Nigel Pearson has said “learning to walk again has been an incredible challenge” after revealing he was dealing with a “neurological situation” last year.
The 61-year-old said he was waiting for more tests to diagnose the health issue in October 2023 shortly before he was sacked as Bristol City manager.
Pearson posted an update of his condition on social media as he thanked “all the kind people who have continued to send their support during the last 13 months”.
He added: “Learning to walk again has been an incredible challenge.
“My appreciation of support from family, friends, colleagues, supporters, and medical professionals has been profound.
“I had the wonderful opportunity of travelling to the US with my dad to meet family for the first time in Wisconsin.
“Recently, I’ve been able to cycle in the Peak District, and swing golf clubs at the driving range, although my follow through needs some work (I’ve not fallen over yet!).
“Although my prognosis is still uncertain, believe me that positivity and laughter can prove the best medicine as I experienced with old friends from school on a canal narrow boat on my birthday. There is always light somewhere ahead – new possibilities, new challenges.”
Pearson’s first job in management was at Carlisle United and he was in charge of the club when they famously stayed in the Football League on the final day of the 1998-99 season thanks to an injury-time winner from goalkeeper Jimmy Glass.
He went on to manage Leicester and, in his second spell in charge, led them into the Premier League in 2014 and, despite the Foxes being bottom at Christmas in the top flight during the following campaign, he guided them to survival after a run of seven wins and one draw in their final nine games.
Wow, learning to walk again sounds like a totally ordinary Tuesday for everyone! I mean, who hasn’t faced a ‘neurological situation’? It’s like saying I had a rough day because my coffee was lukewarm. And oh, the thrill of cycling in the Peak District—because nothing says overcoming adversity like pedaling uphill! Let’s not forget swinging golf clubs; what an Olympic sport that is. I’m sure the world is just waiting for your comeback tour at the driving range. Truly inspiring stuff here!
Oh great! Just what we needed: another sports manager with a miraculous recovery story! I can just hear the crowd cheering now, ‘He walked again—call the newspapers!’ Like seriously, who even cares about this ‘incredible challenge’? Did he expect a medal? And traveling to meet family in Wisconsin? Wow, groundbreaking news right there! I’ve seen more excitement in watching paint dry. But hey, at least he didn’t fall over while swinging those clubs—real champion behavior there!
I mean come on! Who knew walking could be such an ‘incredible challenge’? I struggle to get out of bed some mornings and no one’s writing articles about my struggles! And cycling and golfing? What’s next? Learning to tie shoelaces? This guy’s basically a superhero now—just without the cape or any real achievements!
‘Positivity and laughter are the best medicine’—oh please! That’s just something people say when they run out of actual solutions. Can we get real here? Maybe next time he could share some actual health tips instead of vague platitudes while he’s at it. But hey, let’s all stand around clapping for him as if he just cured cancer by riding a bike!
‘My appreciation has been profound’—sounds deep! Almost as deep as my love for pizza on a Friday night. Honestly though, if learning to walk again qualifies you for profound appreciation then I’m ready for my Nobel Prize after navigating through rush hour traffic every day!
‘There’s always light somewhere ahead’? How poetic! Almost makes me want to start writing sonnets about my daily commute. I guess when you’ve got nothing else going on in life, you start finding meaning in walking and golfing. If only there were awards for making life seem so thrillingly mundane!
‘Learning to walk again’? Is that really headline material now? Next thing you know they’ll be writing about how he figured out how to use chopsticks too. It’s not exactly rocket science or curing diseases; it’s just basic human functioning being celebrated as if it were an Olympic event!
‘New possibilities, new challenges’—sounds super inspiring! But honestly, does anyone really think his golf swing is going to change world peace or something? Let me know when he starts teaching masterclasses on how not to trip over your own feet while trying not to fall off that bike!